Creek Hunting Help

[douglaslefler]

Hi, I have some questions regarding creek hunting. I have been hunting a couple creeks that have campsites located in the hills above them and have not been having very much success and I am not sure why? The campsites are now plowed fields and have lots of artifacts in them, so I was sure I would find some in the creek but I have hunted them twice each with nothing but a scraper to show for it. I just don't understand why these creeks don't have more artifacts. I have read the creek hunting tips in these forums and these creeks have all the makings of a perfect place to hunt. Is it me? or does it take more than just having camps located along the creek to make them a good hunting spot? There is a lot of flint in these creeks but that is because it is naturally occurring and its where the Indians got their flint from. There is also a lot of mud in these creeks and a lot of the rocks have like algae growing on them. I'm just getting a little fustrated because these creeks should be a great places to hunt but there not. If anyone reading this lives in my area and has some tips I could sure use them or if anyone has similar creeks to these that they hunt and have tips it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance, Doug.

[rockhunter]

creek hunting is usually not as easy or successful as people make it seem.you see the pictures and videos of killer points just sitting there but you dont see the many miles walked and trips taken there inbetween. Its not for everybody, its the hunting I do the most but I really enjoy the walk and the hunt itself and thats important, it takes patience and not giving up, two walks isnt gonna tell the whole story but if I found a decent scraper I wouldnt give up. More arrowheads flew through the air than scrapers. Take a look at the flint your finding. look for chopped up chunks, good flakes, bright colors (heat treated) material. Dont let the mud and algae covered rock get you down, it makes the good stuff easier to see. arrowheads will almost always be the brightest things in those areas. trust me, seein clean creeks packed full of awsome flint is only nice for the first 100 times you bend over looking at it, THAT gets frustrating. Make sure you walk up any little ditches running into the creek, I have found half of my creek hunt points in those little ditches and run offs. the more you find in creeks, the easier it gets you have to hang in there and your mind will train itself JMO, good luck

[comanche]

Consider deep,,,"How far the flint would have traveled down stream",and as stated before.Check those side creeks and embankments////2 cents/////c

[point taken]

you need to be finding flake......but if sites are close by, strays will surface....but it may not be loaded....however, I do know of one sitution where 2 people I know waked a ditch in Marion Co. Mo. and it was a complete waste of time until my friend found a 5 3/4" St. Charles Dovetail......he was offered $3500 for it at the show in Collinsville last year by a very well known St. Louis collector....true story

[unfbaseball29]

i agree... i hunt very similar small creeks/runoffs and many of the finds i get from them are buried in the mud and barely showing (but definitely stick out compared to the rest of the rocks). and also - as stated, I also find many on the little side creeks and branches so check those out and the banks.

[Wichita]

Don't look over the algae rocks either. I've found a few points that were almost completely cover in the stuff. Just happened to be lucky when I saw them. You will get the hang of it the more time you spend hunting creeks. Trust me. Good luck to ya.

[Brian Higgins]

Heres my two cents on creek hunting allways look the gravel bars where theres alot of roots arrowheads love to get hung up in roots. and if theres cattle on the place look those cattle trails leading to the creeks

[kurt]

douglaslefle,r I too live in NW Il. (Freeport's Yellow creek, Pearl City's Silver creek, and the Pecatonica River/Creek area) and have had similar difficulties. I find the water just too polluted or otherwise nearly opaque with almost no sand bars which leaves just the banks. Except for these banks that have eroded down to the dirt, which are few in these areas, and hardley worth all the rowing required to get to them. I've found that the much smaller drainage ditches that flow towards these creeks provide a much greater supply of artifacts. Then you have the problem of owners permission. The farms are so large in this area its difficult to find where the owner's house is located. These require multiple stops. Though, many of these house's have no tresspassing or similar nonwelcoming signage. So I usually end up at the public parks in the area. Good luck.